Letters to my sons - who know that when they ask me in astonishment "Dad, how did you know that?" what my semi-facetious answer will be: "Because I'm a Dad, and Dads Know Everything."

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Know when to Work and when to Play

Hi boys.

I was thinking about you this week as I was driving around the South for my business trip. As you can see by the picture, I had a rare treat this week in my rental car - a convertible sports car! I knew it was going to be fun sometime during the week, but not right away.

First, I had to make my sales calls and I couldn't arrive all windblown and mussed. It wouldn't be professional and it wouldn't help me in my job. So, I kept the top up and the windows rolled up during the day as I went about doing business.

But, when the sales day was done I put the top right down and hit the highway after hours. It was fun, driving with the wind blowing through my hair and feeling like I was outside. I could even stop and take pictures easier along the road with the top down. I had a lot of fun this week driving that convertible.

Having that car to work in reminds me of a good lesson in life. It's this:

You have to know when it's time to work and when it's time to play. It's a balance.

(Another way to say it is what you've heard me say all of these years: "You have to do what you have to do before you get to do what you want to do!")

Getting that lesson right is one of the keys to happiness in your life. Trust me on that.

You have to put this lesson into practice even now in your life. There is a time to work, and that is going to school, doing your homework, and doing chores around the house. And there is time to play: at recess, after school, and on weekends.

When you are young, as you two still are!, the balance is in favor of more time to play. Enjoy this time of your life, and play when you have the chance.

When you're older, as your mother and I are, there are more times to work than there are times to play. You will someday have more responsibilities and be the ones to raise your own families. It's a lot of work. And it helps a great deal in getting this right if you set the habits now while you are young.

Enjoy this time now in your life. Play, when it's time. But get your work done first.

3 comments:

M
said...

As they get older, the reminder they will likely need to is to MAKE TIME TO PLAY!! As we "mature" and get into the workaday world, it can be hard to remember that play is just as important as work for mental and emotional well-being and that we must make time for play as well.

I can't remember when I learned to do the hardest thing of the day first and get it over with. But I've been doing it for a long time and works well for me. Also learned that if you "wait to travel until you have the money" you will never travel. Sometimes you just have to find a way to do things that you want to do.